Arsenal chairman does U-turn on Kroenke buy-in

Arsenal's chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has performed a dramatic U-turn and opened the door to the US tycoon Stan Kroenke to take a major role at the club.

Hill-Wood famously said only last year that "we don't want his sort" in English football when the American was seeking to increase his stake in the club but has now completely changed his mind.

"Contrary to what I said before, I now believe he may have a vital contribution to make to the future of this football club. I am not denying I said what I said, but I made those observations before meeting Stan. I have now got to know him and I have changed my opinions.

"When I hadn't met him, yes, I didn't think he was the right person to take control of Arsenal Football Club. Now I know him as a man who is very much steeped in sport. He is a sports man. He already has a link through our broadband rights and there is every reason to expect that we shall discuss further how his involvement can be extended," Hill-Wood said. Kroenke has a 12% stake in the club and the board appear now to find him more acceptable than the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who owns 25%.